High voltage circuit breaker



Sept. 23, GOESSEL HIGH VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1947 mom h INVENTOR Elme Gocssel Attorneys 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Elmeo GOeSSeI E. GQESSEL HIGH VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER n2 Om om O0 mm Mom lFll Spt. 23, 1952- Filed June 27, 1947 Law Attom? eys Patented Sept. 23, 1952 I UNITED STATES FFIiQE' 7 HIGH VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREA ER. Elmer Goes'selp Philadelphia, 1a., assignor t- I T' -E- Circuit Breaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa., .a.;conporation of Pennsylvania Anplication lune27,1947, ScrialNo.757,356

My present invention relates -;to high voltage high capacity circuit breakers and more particularly' to truck mounted circuit breakers havinga racked; in position, atest'--positionand-a; racked outpositioni I 3 'Among t-he objects of the present invention is the provision fora novel truck mounted circuit 51Claims. (Cl. 200-:-.-50)

cross-bars l3, l4-and l which are connect d as shown in Figures 5 and 6, in any appropriate is the provision oia novelswitchgiaarassembly having a--movab1e circuit breakerwhich-has a; connect and a disconnectp'osition--within the housing of the switchgear and -where themovement of the'circu-it breaker from one position to the other-is accomplished by-a rack so'rewmech'a nism which moves the circuit breaker with respect to a releasably engaged arm.-

The foregoingand many other objects of my invention will become apparent from-the followingdescription of thed-rawi-ngs inwhich-:

Figure 1 is a side viewin perspectivepart'ly broken away showing my novel circuit breaker;

assembled and mounted on a truck.-

" Figure -2-is-a side view of-theracking and-indicator assembly; Figure 3"is a top view ofthe racking and-indica: tor assembly.

Figure l 4 is" a front view iof "the racking and indicator assembly.-

Figures 5 and- 6"are schematicviews illustrate ing successive steps-in ,assembling my novel circuitbreaker.- I j v Referring now to Figure lmy" novel circuit breaker; comprising a fixed contact"; {61" andja movable contact 206 mounted on movable arm lizfoperated to openrposition by fault'jcurrent responsive mechanism 46 "and operated ,to closed 1 position by closing" mechanism; 49f (more fully,

described 1 in the co'-pendi-ngapplicationSerial1- No. 721,648; fil'edJanua-ry 11,;194'7); is-shown. preferably'mounted-on a-movable truck; Themovable truck-comprises a back mainsupporting-1 structure whichincludes --the" vertical support.

members. in and 'l I connectedtogetherand interbracedat =.the lower end by the Masonite panel 1 I 2:; and at the central and upper portion by the i manner, as for instance by bolts and nuts to, the vertical members It and II. The lower ends of the vertical members In and l I are provided with bearings l8 for the shaft [9 which carries the rear wheels 2| of the truck; The vertical membars 10- and II together with the cross bracing. elements above described and the. wheels 2| constitute a single unitary member of assembly;

Certainof the assemblies are standard and require no specific discussion here; Thus, the control panel assembly 41 and the trip unit assembly' 458 may be substantially standard units whichrequire nospecific description. Also, ,the control switch contacts indicated generally at 10 of Figure 1 andthe grounding'c'ontacts H, :2 of

Figure 1 may be-standard units. The essential elementsas above pointed out with respect to these units is the unit assembly arrangement which ispossiblewith the construction herein shown.

The rear end of theoperating mechanism assembly 46 is supported on the cross bar 14 which is held by the bolts 15, l5 acrossthe top of "the. lower panel l2. Crossbar 14 also provides meansv for supporting additional "assemblies.

The operation mechanism utilizes as closely as possible the simple-principle of thelever operated switch with only enough addition thereto to pro: vide-automatic response to over-current conditions-in order to trip thecircuit breaker and also to provide-a solenoid-closing means The simplification of this operating mechanism makes possible the production of the inexpensive circuitv breaker herein described.

Thus, while the arc chute assembly and the blow-out assemblymake-possible the high ca: pacity operation and high speed operation which aresessential to theoperation of the circuit breaker as awhole, the simplicity of the oth'er assemblies makes possible the economical andefiicient construction.

The individual unit, assemblies-facilitate -stor-.-- age of parts preparatory to 'final assembly .-and--' thusmakes it possible to fill'orders quickly.

Thus the first subassembly which consistsmtj the back panel and the back wheels-2| is essentially a, simple flat member. whichmay readily; be. stored anddoes not take up any.substantial.,

amount of space (see Figure. 1)

Heretofore, the .difiiculty encountered in pro!- manufacture of 'subassemblies in anticipationof. future orders resided in'the fact that the main =frame of the circuit breaker or other switchgear usually was as big as the circuit breaker itself, so that the manufacture and especially the storage of the main frame presented the same problem as the storing of an entire circuit breaker. No real economy was effected by premanufacture of the main frame since the entire circuit breaker could be stored just as readily.

By means of my novel device, the back panel and the rear wheels of the truck which constitute a single fiat structure may readily be stored awaiting specific orders for assembly of specific circuit breakers.

The truck structure is completed by means of a lower or bottom platform 23, which carries a front wheel 24 in the front swivel 25 (Figure 1). The bottom platform 23 is secured at the rear end to the lower end of the vertical members !5 and I! above the bearings I! and i8 for the rear wheel. The bottom platform 23 in connection with the back panel, the vertical supporting members !0 and l! and their interbracing structure taken together with the rear wheels 2!.

and the front swivel wheel 24 comprise the truck or mounting for the circuit breaker. Thus the bottom platform 23 and the front swivel wheel 24 constitute a single subassembly which may readily be stored without requiring any additional space and which may readily be attached by two screws to the lower end of the vertical members !0 and H. v

This type of unitary subassembly construction which may readily be interconnected with other elements in order to make a complete truck, facilitates modification and variation of subassemblies in order to meet the specific orders. I

. Thus in the event various control elements must be multiplied-to a substantial extent in the final circuit breaker thus requiring perhaps a custom built lower platform 23, this lower platform23 may be built to the unique specifications of the customer and may then be combined with the standard back panel construction which is kept in stock. However, the entire truck construction including the first and second subassemblies above described are built in full anticipation of all requirements to which the particular circuit breaker may be put, so that partioular custom made back or bottom portions of a truck will be required only in exception cases.

Each of the upper and lower terminal assembly members fifl and 3! also carry the spring biased disconnect contact elements 38, 38 also hereinafter more specifically described in connection with Figure 1, but shown also in Patent Number 2,029,028. The intermediate cross bar !3, which is secured to the vertical members I0, I! and 32 bythe bolts 40, also carries at its outer end the wheels 42 on an appropriate shaft extension thereof, the said wheels 42 cooperating with appropriate tracks in the compartment to guide the truck into and out of the compartment properly.

The racking and indicator assembly shown generally at 43 of Figure 1 also carries the front wheels 44, 44 to ride on the guide tracks of the compartment in which the circuit breaker is housed.

' The racking and indicator assembly 43 which is more specifically described in the parent application Serial No. 721,648,.filed January 11, 1947, is supported from the mechanism assembly. The control panel assembly 4! is supported bythe lower platform 23 of the circuit breaker as is also the trip unit assembly 48. The solenoid 4 closing mechanism 49 is a part of the operating mechanism assembly 46.

The movable contact assembly shown generally at 50 of Figure 1 is connected at its lower end to the lower terminal assembly 3! in the manner hereinafter described, and is provided with a link 5! which is connected to the contact operating arms 52 projecting up from the operating mechanism assembly 46. The movable contact bridge assembly which of course has as many poles as there are upper and lower terminal as semblies, three in the particular instance shown, is provided with contact elements.

, In Figures 2, 3 and 4, I have shown, the racking and. indicator assembly, the position of which is shown further in Figure 1 and which is carried by the operating mechanism assembly 46. The arm 400 carries at its outer ends the rollers 44, 44 which roll upon the track of the cubicle or compartment. Latches 500 in the cubicle 50! hold the arm 400 and lockit in position (see Figures 2 and 3). I r

As shown in Figures 2 and3 the latches 500 have pivoting shafts 502 which are supported by the cubicle walls 50!. The latches 500 each have a supporting bar 503 and a latching bar 504. The supporting bars 503 are pivoted on the shafts 502 described above and are perpendicular to the latching bars 504. Each of the latching bars 504 have a handle 505 which is used to move the latches 500 into and out of latching position.

The arm 400 is part of the racking truck structure as described above sothat when the circuit breaker is racked in, the truck and thus the arm 400 therewith is restrained from further entry. The latches 500 in latching position prevent movement of the arm 400 in the opposite direction so that when latched, the arm 400 cannot be moved. The movements of the truck are facilitated as described above by the movement of the rollers 42 and 44 on the track 501.

When the racking crank is inserted through opening 402 in the front plate 403 into the socket 404 of the racking screw 405 and turned, the

relative positions of the frame 406 comprising the side elements 401, 401 and the arm 400 are changed. Since the frame 406 is fastened to the front wall of the mechanism 46 and the arm 400 is held in a fixed position within the cubicl 50! by latches 500, the rotation of screw 405 'moves the breaker from test to operating position.

This is so because the screw 405 passes through a threaded opening 4!!! in arm 400-. and is rotatably carried in the bearing 4! of the rear frame element '4!2 of the frame 406. A shutter 42!! prevents the insertion of the crank through opening 402 into the racking screw 405 whenever the breaker is closed. The indicator 430 is operated by link 42! which is connected at one end to the bell crank arm 43! of the indicator 430, and at the other end to the pin I09 in the contact operating arms 52. When the breaker is closed by either the solenoid closing mechanism 49 or the manual closing arm !30, the contact operating arms 52 are rotated counter-clockwise;(with respect to Figure 1) and thereby draws the link 42! back to'actuate the counter 44! and the indicator 430. When the indicator 430 is moved to the right with respect to Figures 2 and 3 the breaker is in the closed position and the indicator 430 registers On. At the same time the centering spring 422 draws the shutter 4-20 to the right covering the opening This prevents the racking crank from be ingvinserted and the breaker from being-Tracked F Since many variations ,ianda'vmodifieattqnst of -my invention shouldnowwbe fobviou'sy-to {those skilled in theart, I prefermto be bound not by the specific disclosure herein contained, but only by the. appended claims, 1

Iclaim: v 1. In an electrical switchgear assembly, a stationary housing, a removable circuit breaker having a connected position within said house ing in which said circuit breaker is connected to an electrical circuit and a disconnected position within said housing in which said circuit breaker is disconnected from the electrical circuit; opposite side walls and a rear wall for said housing, an arm extending between said side walls, members at said side walls for releasably engaging and positioning the ends of said arm, said arm including a threaded opening intermenected to and movable with said circuit breaker,

.the threads of the screw meshing with the threads in the opening for permitting rotation and transverse movement of said screw with respect to said arm while said arm is held from movement by said members, said circuit breaker moving with saidscrew transversely with respect to said arm from connected position at said rear wall of said housing to disconnected position, and movement from disconnected position toward said rear wall to connected position.

2'. In an electrical switchgear assembly, a stationary housing, a removable circuit breaker having a connected position within said housing in which said circuit breaker is connected to an electrical circuit and a disconnected position within said housing in which said circuit breaker is disconnected from the electrical circuit; opposite side walls and a rear wall for said housing, an arm extending between said side walls, members at said side walls for releasably engaging and positioning the ends of said arm, said arm including a threaded opening intermediate its ends, a racking screw mechanism connected to and movable with said circuit breaker, the threads of the screw meshing with the threads in the opening for permitting rotation and transverse movement of said screw with respect to said arm while said arm is held from movement by said members, said circuit breaker moving with said screw transversely with respect to said arm from connected position at said rear wall of said housing to disconnected position, and

movement from disconnected position toward said rear wall to connected position, said racking screw having a socket, a crank adapted to be screwed in said socket for rotating said racking screw to operate said truck into connected and disconnected position.

3. In an electrical switchgear assembly, a stationary housing, a removable circuit breaker having a connected position within said housing in which said circuit breaker is connected to an electrical circuit and a disconnected'position within said housing in which said circuit breaker is disconnected from the electrical circuit; opposite side walls and a rear wall for said housing, an arm extending between said side walls, members at said side walls for releasably engaging and positioning the ends of said arm, said arm including a threaded opening intermediate its a f diate its ends, a racking screw mechanism conf 6 a ,ends-,-;,arracking: screw: mechanism gconnectednto movable with; said 1, ,circuitiibreake the threads-- of; the screw. meshing with the;:threads th e'gopeningifor permitting rotation and transverse movement of said screw with respect to said arm while,.saidarmiszheld from movement by saidlmembers, said circuit breaker movingwith said screw transversely with respect .tosaid,arm from connected position at said rear wall of said housing to disconnected position: "and movement from; disconnected positionxtoward said rearhw all 1 to; connected position; said; circuit breaker -.having cooperable contacts having engaged and disengaged positions and a shutter mechanically connected to and directly operated by said cooperating contacts for preventing insertion of said crank in said socket when said cooperable contacts are in engagement,

4. In an electrical switchgear assembly, a sta tionary housing, a removable circuit breaker having a connected position within said housing in which said circuit breaker is connected to an electrical circuit and a disconnected position within said housing in which said circuit breaker is disconnected from the electrical circuit, opposite side walls and a rear wall for said housing, an arm extending between said side walls, members at said side walls for releasably engaging and positioning the ends of said arm, said arm in cluding a threaded opening intermediate its ends, a racking screw mechanism connected to and movable with said circuit breaker, the threads of the screw meshing with the threads in the opening for permitting rotation and transverse movement of said screw with respect to said arm while said arm is held from movement by said members, said circuit breaker moving with said screw transversely with respect to said arm from connected position at said rear wall of said housing to disconnected position, and movement from disconnected position toward said rear wall to connected position, said circuit breaker having cooperable contacts having engaged and disengaged positions, and an indicator mechanically connected to and directly operated by said cooperable contacts for indicating the closed and open conditions of said contacts.

5. In an electrical switchgear assembly, a stationary housing, a removable circuit breaker having a connected position Within said housing in which said circuit breaker is connected to an electrical circuit and a disconnected position within said housing in which said circuit breaker is disconnected from the electrcal circuit, opposite side walls and a rear wall for said housing, an arm extending between said side walls, members at said side walls for releasably engaging and positioning the ends of said arm, said arm including a threaded opening intermediate its ends, a racking screw mechanism connected to and movable with said circuit breaker, the threads of the screw meshing with the threads in the opening for permitting rotation and transverse movement of said screw with respect to said arm while said arm is held from movement by said members, said circuit breaker moving with said screw transversely with respect to said arm from connected position at said rear wall of said housing to disconnected position, and movement from disconnected position toward said rear wall to connected position, said circuit breaker having cooperable contacts having engaged and disengaged positions, a shutter directly operated by said cooperating contacts for preventing insertion of said crank in said socket when said cooperable con- 7 8 tacts are in engagement, and an indicator con- Number Name I V Date nected to said cooperable contacts for indicating 1,869,856 Macneil' Aug. 2, 1932 the closed and open conditions of said contacts. 1,890,514 Krips r. Dec. 13,1932 ELMER GOESSEL. 1,947,634 Anderson Feb. 20,1934 7 r 5 2,258,150 Scott, Jr Oct. 7, 1941 t 1 REFERENCES CITED 2,273,002 Mahoney 1 Feb; 10, 1942 The following references are of record in the 2,414,555 Pierson et a1 2 file of this patent: FOREIGN PATENTS V H UNITED STA ES E S 1 Number Country Date I Number Name Date Germany Mar. 10,

1,237,370 Murray et a1 Aug. 21, 1917 

